The Devil's Grin
by Egg Emperor
Summary: Goten is afraid, of himself. He is changing and he has no idea why. His darker instincts are moving to the surface, his control is slipping; emotions boiling over. Feeling resentful of everything that seems to deny him, his brother's shadow, his father's absence. His rage and anxiety growing the question now looms. Could I be turning evil, becoming a conscienceless Saiyan monster?
1. Prologue: A Dark Future Revisited?

_A man can take only so much in his life before he finally snaps. That spells trouble in any situation; but when that young man happens to have the power to destroy a planet, things can go south real fast. An absent father seen as the world's savior, a brother who's legacy he can't live up to, an over critical mother, a best friend who couldn't give him the time of day. He has spent his whole life smiling for others never showing his pain, until now. A reckoning of biblical proportions is at hand; the question now, will the World survive?_

**The Devil's Grin**

**A DBZ Fan Fiction**

By Egg Emperor

**Prologue: A Dark Future Revisited?**

_-And the sound of Evil laughter falls around the World tonight-_

_Dragonforce-Through the Fire and the Flames_

_**December 30**__**th**__** Year 789 CA* 12:03 AM -Centerpoint City** **_

Centerpoint city was a vast metropolis, far bigger than any other in the region. It even eclipsed West city, the home of Capsule Corp. in size and grandeur. With a population of 16 million it was one of the largest cities on Earth. In the metro core skyscrapers soared thousands of feet into the air each one taller than the last, glimmering and shining in the night, pink, and purple; violet and blue. The light danced off the great towers likes sparks, making even the smallest of skyscrapers an impressive sight. And looming over them all, smack in the center of the city's heart was the Shenlong bank building headquarters of most of the world's finances. Rising into the heavens, at one kilometer in height it is the tallest building in the World.

Though it was early – or late, depending on your definition, the streets were busy with activity. Tonight would the great New Year's celebration and the celebratory mood was in full swing. Decorations were hung between buildings in the historic districts of the city. The electric signs and screens buzzed with festive ads and holiday cheer. Shops and stalls selling traditional foods and gifts were erected all along the busy streets; lanterns hung from long strings of lights.

At the same time this was the financial capital of the planet so work was always going on no matter the hour.

In the heights of the mid floors of the Shenlong building, 34 year old CFO Eric Cremm just finished a very long and equally aggravating video call from Capsule Corp. about the financing for their new Atlas project. Atlas was to be the first large scale space craft ever built by mankind. He thought it might be a bit ambitious for his company to be getting involved in. Giving funding to some more "normal" project that had more chance of bringing good publicity was a better idea.

Then again what did he know it wasn't his expertise or anything. He knew that Bulma Briefs the current president had developed small scale capsule ships and they worked well. But that was on the scale of a small room, not a large building sized starship. Still whether it worked or not he there was no reason to fear, his company would reap the benefits no matter how things turned out.

No, what had him so red in the face was the fact that Bulma could not make the appointment. And so he had to discuss the matter of the loan with her husband. Who was without a doubt **the** most aggravating, ill-mannered and infuriating person on the entire planet. If he never had to speak to the man again it would be too soon. He sighed to himself, he needed a drink after that; it was a good thing that the sake shops were still open because of the holiday. He packed his briefcase and left his office…. He would never make it to the ground floor.

High above the hustle and bustle of the city streets atop the antenna spire of the Shenlong building stood a figure. Well you could say he stood, but in reality he floated a foot or two above the antenna. The red aviation light cast a crimson glare on his features.

His clothing was nothing remarkable. He wore a white shirt tucked into khaki pants and tennis shoes, a black wind breaker completed the ensemble. He stood only 5'10" or so and had spikey ebony hair which was cut short and swept to up to one side. His chiseled features and superbly muscular body would have made him beyond handsome, were it not for the icy chill in his dark eyes. A smile adorned the young man's face, which for him was not altogether unusual. Save that it was a dark smirk not one of competitiveness and neither one of lust nor desire. No this smile was malicious and wrong, it was simply put a Devil's grin. And not one bit of good could come from someone who held it on their face.

Something was deeply wrong with this young man; it was as obvious as the day was long.

In his right hand was a ball of black energy; sparks stained the color of shed blood leapt around it. He bounced in his hand tossing it up and down in an almost playful manner, whilst humming to himself as if he hadn't a care in the world.

Suddenly he caught orb, and holding it in his hand as if studying it. A moment later he tossed it gently away from letting it fall. As the dark sphere plummeted towards the streets below, his smirk split into an evil grin not wasting a moment he leapt up and flew away from the city.

Seconds passed in silence…

Suddenly; without warning there was a terrible flash of crimson light, brighter than a million dawns. Everything these scarlet rays fell upon simply died and combusted burning to dust. A black and red fireball erupted up and out from the city consuming everything as it grew higher than even the tallest structures in the dying metropolis. The explosion wiped Centerpoint from existence before going on to devour the surrounding countryside.

A peal of evil laughter sounded over the roar of the giant blast ringing out from the high above the unfolding vision of Hell. It was not the laugh of a cliché villain, but one of malevolent and sadistic glee, a chuckle of pure sickening joy at the horror below.

Several hours later, when the last spot fires had been extinguished by cool morning rains and the dust had settled from the choked air the light of day gave purchase on the devastation. Centerpoint city, its suburbs and everything around it for 20 miles had been completely obliterated. Where the city had once stood only a large crater remained.

**Author's Notes:**

**WOW O_O I'm really evil, I should not have enjoyed writing that as much as I did. So I'll try to be less of a villain next time can't make any guaranties though U_U . I really hit a road block with my other stories, so I decided to try this mess out and see what people think please review and tell me if you love it or hate it and I should just go _. **

**I'm going to try to get out the first "real" chapter by early (3AM) tomorrow or later in the afternoon. The Eight Brain will continue once I get some experience as an author.**

***CA stands for Common Age so, in this case it's early in the morning of December 30****th ****in the year 789 nearly 15 years after Buu's defeat. This story is taking the place of the Gt saga, I may address it further, but basically Dende noticed the summoning and was able to get Ultimate or Red Shenron to go back into his balls before Pilaf was able to make that stupid and devastating wish. **

**** My vision of Centerpoint City was crafted after the planed City of Silk in Kuwait, with the Burj Mubarak Al Kabir tower being the inspiration for the Shenlong Bank Building. Look it up if you interested. **


	2. Chapter 1: Reflections

**The Devil's Grin**

**A DBZ Fan Fiction**

By Egg Emperor

**Chapter 1: Reflections**

_- Yin and Yang _

_Light and Dark_

_One is bright the other Stark_

_Now take these two that were as one_

_And let them loose to have their fun –_

**Note: Independent internal thoughts are in "**_**Italics". **_

_**December 17**__**th**__** Year 789 CA 3:00 PM –Orange Star City*- Junior college campus**_

In a lecture hall in the heart of the midsized campus of Orange Star Junior College sits the youngest of the heroes who saved the world from the menace of Marjin Buu nearly 15 years ago. Currently the 22 year old Demi-saiyan is in the middle of world history class.

"_Argh! I'm so fucking board why can't this day be over and holiday break started already"._ Mentally moaned an exasperated Son Goten, who was admittedly not having a good day.

"_I simply can't believe this guy. He drones on and on and for what?! Some war that happened 500 years ago, Hell I could have stopped the damn thing in 2 minutes if I wanted to."_

"_That's another thing why the Hell am I even here? I'm one of the most powerful beings in existence and I still have to sit here and listen to this shit." _

My family already has one nerd, why in the name of the Kai's does it need another one?

"_It's stupid to the point of being laughable, and Lutzer's voice is making my ears hurt its so annoying."_

"_We have 8 minutes of class left. Why won't he just fucking stop and let us out early … I should just blast the guy to shut him…" _

My fingers itched and I began to move them.

"_The Hell?" _

I shot strait up in my seat. My classmates around me looked startled by my sudden movement. Though not as startled as my last thought had made me. What the hell was I thinking? I could seriously feel it, I was considering … for a moment… actually hurting an innocent, and for no reason beyond sheer annoyance at the man. My hand had actually moved, yeah it was just a twitch; even still…

"What's going on?"

"You say something Ten?" I turned to my left to see Kevin, one of my friends and one of the few reasons that this class was bearable

He stared at me.

Shaking my head from the daze of analyzing my murderous thought patterns I thought of something to say so I wouldn't look like a complete idiot.

"Na, nothing important, just was daydreaming, that's all Lutzer's class is good for anyway I joked."

"Must have been one hell of a daydream to freak you out like that, you looked like you saw a ghost, that or someone died hahah!"

I turned away and frowned, was it that obvious that I was distressed?

"_Not to mention the whole dying comment was a bit close for comfort."_

I searched my thoughts thinking up a plausible excuse to get him off my back before my mood got any worse. I had already woken up on the wrong side of the bed, having hardly slept the night before; the day went downhill from there.

First Valese dumps me; by text no less and then I find I failed my Cal midterm. Now if I don't ace the final I fail the class. My thoughts again turn to my bitch of an ex and I use that as inspiration.

"Nothing important, just thinking of a hot babe and well it got a little steamy up in my thoughts"

I flashed the grin my family was famous for as a bit of reinforcement.

Sure mine, unlike my brother's or father's was fake as hell, but it was a good fake. Not even dad could tell that I was only smiling on the outside.

"_Or that I secretly despise their ungodly cheeriness …." _

"_Where did that thought come from?"_

"Whoa! Easy there tiger, just because you girl is cock blocking you doesn't mean you need to start having **those** types of dreams in class" Kevin said, rather loudly in fact; it was a good possibility that about a third of the class heard him.

The nerve of my friend still amazes me even today. He is the cockiest person I know next to Vegeta and that's saying something.

"_Nerve …. More like stupidity, can't he keep his mouth shut? I should knock him into next week!"_

I tense preparing to … strike?...?

WHAT THE FUCK… I blanch I know my face is white, I can feel my pulse quicken in response to my shock and something else.

Adrenillin, preparedness for battle…

What's going on with me?

This is the second time in less than 5 minutes that I've felt not only the thought but the physical urge to hurt someone. And this time not just someone, Kevin a guy I've known since I was a freshman, my freaking friend.

I turn Kevin is staring at me a, no at my hands. I look down, my fists are clenched, he looks … scared? No worried would be more accurate. Worried for me … or for himself?

He knows I'm strong for my size, just not how strong. It's hard to broach the subject of being able to crack a planet in half to your friends especially when they're all human.

"G-man are … are you ok? You seem tense buddy; did Valese shut you down again?"

"Yeah, permanently in fact, she says I'm too rough in bed. She said I'm an animal, not a lover… the bitch I outa…"

"Goten, seriously calm down, you neck is bulging dude, you going to have a stroke if you keep this up. You know what you need is a stress reliever. There's a party going down at my digs tonight, the other guys and the girls will be there as well as plenty of hot singles.

I make to interrupt but he stops me

"Forget you old maid of a mother for once and live a little!"

I should punch him for insulting mom but he was kind of right.

It took me only a second to process and agree to his proposal. He was right I needed a break , a "real" break. I was stressed as hell and that's got to be the reason I'm feeling so weird, nothing like a party to help cool one's jets …. And catch some tail.

"I'll be there dude, 10 o'clock right?"

"Yeah, it's going to be rad."

"….. And that's all the time for today class, when you return the on the twelfth we will begin discussing the Demon King Wars. I expect a 10 page paper outlining the progression of the battles and events during them on my desk no later than 3 that day." Professor Lutzer finished.

"Ahhh … crud … damn… what?" Was the collective response of the class as they filed out.

I couldn't help smirking to myself I wouldn't have do a lick of research on this, since I could simply ask said "Mean" Green, Demon King himself. That is if he wasn't too grouchy to answer. I could never figure out if being a misanthrope was just part of the Piccolo's personality or if it was just a façade similar to what I use.

As I walked out I could see Roge,r a newer addition to our group of friends approach Kevin with a questioning look.

"Hey Kev what was up with Goten?"

"Shush…."

I saw that Kevin made a gesture to keep his tone hushed. Unfortunately for them my acute Saiyan hearing was more than capable of listening in to their conversation. I pressed my back against the open door and concentrated on eavesdropping.

**Kevin's POV:**

I saw Roger walking up to me, a curious look on his face. Roger was a sophomore but was in advanced levels in all his studies so he became friends with us seniors last year when he was a freshie. Because he was fairly new somethings about our little circle of friends were unknown to him. And I had a feeling that I would be filling in a gap or two today, whether I liked it or not.

"Hey Kev what was up with Goten?"

I started and inwardly sighed, I looked around. Along with his impressive physique, Goten seemed to possess above average senses including hearing. There were days when I got to thinking that maybe he wasn't human or at least not completely human. At any rate I wanted to be careful of how things were said, I was making sure he wasn't listening.

"Shush"…

"Honestly Roge I don't know, he was zoning out and then just popping back to reality just as fast. Like he was lost in his thoughts, he kept having this weird mix of agitation and … well fear, I think across his face. I was seriously worried that he was gonna pull a flip right during the lecture, it was unnerving."

"Pull a flip? What the heck are you talking about Kev?" Roger looked rather confused.

Crap I forgot that he hasn't been around us long enough to know, it's been nearly 2 years since it last happened, not that it ever happened often to begin with.

"Ok what I'm going to tell you cannot leave you got it !?"

"Yeah of course" Roger suddenly looked like maybe he regretted asking me the question.

"Well you and I and everyone else know Goten as the happy go-lucky guy who is basically a 12 year old in a 22 year olds body. He's always smiling or laughing and when he does get ticked at something it takes nothing for him to brush it off, right?"

"Yeah that Goten to a T" Roger replied

"Well dude that isn't all there is, deep beneath that there is something else… something really, really scary it's almost like a different personality, rage, sadism, a blood lust almost.

"If you somehow manage to push Goten to breaking anger wise" – which is a Hell of an achievement I note to myself – "All of that comes to the surface and it's not pretty. He becomes someone you wouldn't want to be within miles of."

"Usually it's a glare, once or twice he broke a glass he was holding, and then right after he calms down and goes back to normal. Ever since the second time it happened, we; that being our group of friends have come to call this pulling a flip."

"You fucking with me Kev right, that, that's beyond stupid there is no wa…"

"I wish to Kami I was screwing with you but I'm not!"

"Listen, as I said everything was just minor stuff, up until last year nothing big had happened but two years ago...

I trail off. I felt insecure telling Roger this. Did he really need to know what our loveable giant was capable of? In the end would he be better off ignorant and clueless?

No he needs to know, for his safety and Goten's.

"WHAT HAPPNED!?" Roger practically shouts his left foot tapping like mad. A sure sign that he's nervous.

"Something big happened, the others were minor but this was the big one."

Oh how I would wish to the Great Guardian that what I was about to say wasn't true. The truth hurts; the truth is far stranger and crueler than any can imagine.

"At the time Valese and Goten had been going steady for nearly 3 years. That night that our little group was walking back from some party downtown; to get to the rail line we had to pass through a rather rough area. Since we were all together it was no big deal. As we were walking toward the rail station this one bunch of thugs, three of 'em started making whistles and catcalls at Andrea, Hikari and Valese."

"They were saying all the usual crap, 'Hey babe why don't you come party with me' that sort of garbage."

"When the girls ignored them they started following us back into the business district. The head bozo didn't seem to take the hint and kept hitting on Valese; she for one did not appreciate it. Goten told her to ignore it; that they weren't worth their time. That was when the pricks cornered us and the big jackass grabbed Valese's arm yanking her right from Goten, saying that ' she should drop the pretty boy and see what a real man is like' that was when things got ugly."

"Ugly..?"

Sometimes I forget how ugly it got.

"_I really need to stop telling this mess or its going to get stuck and give me nightmares."_

"Goten, he changed, his eyes went all icy and cold his whole demeanor shifted. He knocked the two flunkies out right then and there, he moved so fast that I hardly saw what happened. He then got Valese away from the prick; put her with me so I could calm her down. She was shaking like crazy."

"Now that Valse was safe I'd thought that he'd calm down"

"He didn't. That wasn't even close to enough for him. He then proceeded to beat the poor bastard senseless, by the time he was done – you know that white shirt he always wears?"

"Yeah he must have two or three dozen of the things" Roger forgetting the seriousness of the conversation chuckled.

"It was reddish pink within a minute, crimson in some places. But Goten he just didn't stop, he; fuck, then broke every bone in the guy's right arm, crushing his hand next, then his leg he mangled it, stomped the dude's foot to pieces. And all the while he was chuckling to himself, talking trash saying 'that the prick didn't know who the fuck he was dealing with' asking 'did you really think you do what you just did and not be punished?'"

Kevin paused for a breath, Roger was pale, and he looked slightly unwell.

"Goten, he, he was enjoying nearly dismembering this guy and... and … his eyes, Kami his eyes, they had this spark of bliss and the smile it was like a devil's just cruel and wrong."

"We're friends with a monster!" Roger exclaimed fear of the "once" gentle giant growing.

"Yes and no, he stopped, thank Kami he stopped before he killed him, and believe me he easily could have. A little while later the police came and called it self-defense, my ass really, they just didn't want to deal with a guy who could do that kind of shit. By that point Goten was back to his old self, well I say that. He was rather upset and more that a bit freaked out, though whether it was for what he did or rather that we had seen it I'm not sure."

"He doesn't regret it?!" Roger asked, now afraid that he would piss his pants

"As I said I'm not sure, never asked him."

"As for what really happened, it didn't seem like there was a break in who he was at least not completely. So it wasn't some other personality it was just a part of himself that he bottled up and kept away from the world. In short he lost his temper, big time.

"Kami Father of Shenron! What … why?" Roger was stunned he couldn't get his head around it.

"Don't know, I do know he has some family issues. His dad is some big martial arts champ who leaves the family for long periods of time to train. His older brother is a super athlete like their dad and to top it off is a genius or something. Apparently his mom is always on his case. Asking why he can't be like his brother or some shit. Growing up in the shadows of those guys probably did a number on him."

"Now remember you promised not to talk to anyone about this. And Roger, also watch out for Goten, if he begins to lose it try to calm him down."

There were a few moments of silence after I had finished Roger looked lost in thought.

"I'll keep the secret ok Kev." Roger finally replied

"Good, now let's go we have a party to prepare, and also this discussion never happened ok?"

I followed Roger through the far door and out into the cool winter air.

**Goten's POW:**

KAMI DAMN IT, why… what the hell, do… do they think I'm some monster to be kept on leash watched over. I'M FUCKING SON GOTEN ….

"_I could teach them a lesson …. Should teach them for trying to chain me like that …."_

Not again, what's wrong with me I've never had these thoughts or feelings ….of wanting to harm. Maybe … there really is something wrong with me.

No, no I was just angry with them, people use the phrase I'm going to kill you all the time and it means squat.

No there is something wrong. I heard Roger, he was scared, my own friends are afraid of me. I need time to think.

I walk towards the bathrooms intending to splash my face and clear my head

I think back on Kevin's assessment he was right on most of it but he got one big thing wrong though. I know I'm not the happy grown boy I pretend to be in front of others. My Son smile is as fake as a three zennie note; even so my friends are fooled just like my family.

It's all an act so they think that for the most part besides maturing I haven't changed from the rambunctious warrior that fought Buu years ago.

Family, I love my family but… sometimes I can't help but feel resentment, hurt and loss. I deal with it and hide it but it has long since changed me from the happy kid that everyone thinks I still am. That kid is long since dead.

That kid began to die when I was 13 and has been dying ever since. He died when Dad left again, wanting to train some random kid, rather than his own son. When he couldn't even bother think how much of my life he had missed already.

When mom's constant comparisons of me to Gohan went from complements to criticisms; when her teachings became harsh and unforgiving.

He died when my brother, whom I loved above all others, became an impassible obstacle instead of a beacon of guidance for me to follow; when my idolization of him turned to resentment and scorn.

When my best friend stopped calling me Chibi and decided his inheritance was too important to even spare me a moment; when I needed to make an appointment to seen the man I considered my twin.

They, I realized were slowly killing me, or rather, the me that they knew, the me that they "loved".

And as much as it is their fault for his demise, it is his guilt as well, my guilt.

I wore that mask proudly, even as all it really represented withered inside. I made no complaints to my condition, my feelings, and my pain. The blame for the "death" of Son Goten is much mine as it is theirs.

"_But is it really, your fault, my fault, you were, I was a child, they should have known what it was doing to you, to me. They should be made aware of their grave mistake the grievous wrong they committed against you, against me. They should pay they should be made to feel the suffering that I felt….."_

"_Where… where did that come from? I was thinking it but I feel like I wasn't but I was so … why was I thinking of it, of again hurting people?"_

Why for the briefest moment did I feel excited, perhaps even … a.r.o.u.s.e.d…? Lack of sleep that must be it, that and I'm just dwelling on depressing things, it's bound to make me feel a bit weird.

At any rate the "new" me the "adult" Goten suits me just fine. Sure I'm a loner and coolly analytical, and maybe too competitive and aggressive, but with having to compete with my brother for mom's praise I have no choice. I still can be cheery, I still experience happiness. It's just not a constant thing like it used to be like the mask I keep up for looks.

I've matured. I'm not a kid though everyone expects me to be some semblance of one. Besides I prefer being cool and calm it helps me think, and it keeps me level, Kami knows where I'd be if the mask was the only part of the "real" me.

"_Whoa, seems caught in thought I'm already in the bathroom. I should really try to calm myself; all this stress isn't good for me."_

As I splash the water in my face I begin to think

"_Then there is this "other" me to deal with. Saiyans are by their very nature aggressive and battle hungry beings, it's in their very blood to be like that. But is that the only reason I'm having these problems my heritage? Dad lost those instincts forever when he hit his head sure he loves fighting but he's got a heart of Gold. And Vegeta, he's always loved a good fight perhaps more so than even Dad but I've never seen him loose control … well blast an innocent mountain perhaps, but he never hurts anyone. Trunks as far I know hasn't ever had this issue – not that he even talks to me anymore."_

I splash my face again with the cool water luxuriating in the calm it brings

"_I've heard stories about Gohan, how when he ascended to level 2 against Cell he suddenly gained quite the sadistic streak. But considering the already inherent negative energy of a Super Saiyan transformation, especially to level 2 (apparently that's more damaging to a soul than three for some weird reason) with the fact that that Thing had just killed their father it's not a surprise. I think that Gohan gave that monster all he deserved._

"_Rationalizing it, there is a distinct difference between torture used to punish, in my brother's instance to repay all the misery and suffering Cell had placed on him, father and the world at large."_

A deep breath and more cool water.

"_And torture used for amusement of the torturer. The sick glee, gained from watching you prey writhe in agony, the power, the pleasure in causing others pain, the high from utterly destroying till there is nothing left."_

I feel slightly nauseous and lean over the sink as I begin to acknowledge my terrible flaw.

"_This is the method I've employed, and what scares me is I __**DO**__ like it, a small not so distant part of me smiles at the pain I inflict when in battle. I long ago accepted that my Saiyan side was far stronger; more bloodthirsty and cruel, than that of my brother or Trunks. I knew I became more brutal as a battle raged and that when I lost my cool completely I would act much like a seasoned Saiyan warrior."_

"_The problem was as of late it was getting harder and harder to control myself, off the battlefield as well as on. I was out hunting this summer and got attacked by a Raptor, its teeth hardly punctured my thick skin. Yet I was so mad I killed not only it but its entire herd, I had never seen so much blood in my life and even worse I realized had never felt that good. I felt so alive."_

Enough if I keep thinking about this I'll go insane, I see Piccolo tomorrow and get some meditation tips and while I'm at it the research for the Demon Wars.

I shift my head up out of the sink looking at the mirror, my face dripping with water. At that very moment the lights chose to flicker. In the milliseconds between the light and darkness the flickering lasting only a second, I saw something that chilled me to my core.

It was me and it wasn't me, same face same hair, but shadows fell across my face making it/me look creepy for lack of a better word. My eyes were narrowed in a deadly glare; a glint of red seemed to shine off them. My mouth was upturned in the most sinister, sadistic, smile I've ever seen. It was me but it was…. Evil.

Then it was gone, it lasted maybe a second no more than two, and yet now I'm really freaked, I'm seeing shit.

"What the fucking hell was that, my… face. Reflections … don't change like that. "

I take stock and decide that it was just my imagination playing with shadows. I dry my face and head home to get changed for Kevin's Party.

**Whoa I pumped out that one rather fast if I do say so myself. **

**SO what do you think?**

**THIS chapter actually occurs BEFORE the Prologue so at this point Centerpoint is still intact.**

**So what's going on with poor Goten? Our little chibi's all grown up, but it sure has come with some major issues. I mean did you see that Golem/Smegal bit he had. And his reflection, what was that all about? You'll have to read the next chapter when it comes out to find out.**

**So tell me did you love it, do you hate it, should I just give up or keep on going, Review or PM me **

**And Stay tuned for **_Chapter 2: A Mirror Darkly._


	3. Chapter 2: A Mirror Darkly

**The Devil's Grin**

**A DBZ Fan Fiction**

By Egg Emperor

**Chapter 2: **_**A Mirror Darkly **_

_-Mirror, Mirror on the wall who is truest of them all?_

_He who fights for all that lost?_

_Or he who gains at any cost? –_

**Hello everyone, this is the second chapter of my DBZ fanfic, The Devil's Grin. For those of you who have read the prologue and the 1****st**** chapter, Reflections, I have news for you. I've edited both to make them easier to read. Not much has changed in the Prologue, but Chapter 1 has had a few major additions, so you might want to re-read the story from the beginning. I'm going to try to be more careful with editing so you won't have to do this again…. I hope. Nothing plot wise changed so if you want to just start reading this chapter then go right ahead.**

**Note: Independent internal thoughts are in "**_**Italics". **_

_**December 18th Year 789 CA 7:34 AM –Son Family Home- Mt. Paozu**_

**Chi-Chi's POV:**

Cooking, cleaning; homemaking, a wife and mother's job is never done is it? Sure perhaps if Goku wasn't an alien I'd have an easier time of it, but my family has been so rewarding; the troubles never seem to make that much of a difference. It's a great life and it's been a peaceful one for years. Still…. I have one big hurdle left to jump.

"Where is that boy?"

"_I swear, coming home so late that I don't see him, missing dinner for some party. He should be minding his studies; and working to control that strength of his."_

I fear I was too soft on him as a child. Doesn't he understand that he needs to hone all his skills, especially those that will get him a job?

"_Training the mind and the body, either he neglects his mind or he forgets them both. Gohan begged me to let him train; Goten trains too much for weeks on end. Then he just quits to visit with those delinquent "friends" of his."_

"He was so much like Goku, when he was little, such a kind and sweet child. I still don't understand what went wrong."

"_I always thought I would have an easier time with him. Goten was always so willing to please. I thought I could use that to steer him onto the right course. But it turned out to be harder than ever; why can't he be more like his brother. _

This is my fault though, I know it. When he was younger I trained him taught him martial arts, something I swore I would never do. I as much as I love Goku, he isn't the ideal husband. He has no skills outside of combat, for me that's fine, but other girls are not like me.

"_Look at Gohan, he is a successful consultant, has a lovely wife and beautiful little daughter, neither training his body nor associating with hooligans got him to where he is. Doesn't Goten realize that being the strongest does nothing when it comes to feeding and caring for a family?"_

I want my sons to have a happy productive life and be good husbands to loving wives. I promised myself that my children would not be like their father in that regard. They would be able to provide for their families, I broke my own word and look where it's gotten me.

"_Goku's death made me too lenient on him. Now he's paying the price of my negligence." _

One thing is for certain, he has slept long enough. I've made a huge breakfast and I'm not going to let my labor of love go cold. Besides he needs to work on his studies, his grades are poor enough that no advanced school would even give him a second look.

As I walk up the steps I notice a few boards are loose, I can have him look at that after he eats, then I'm going to have him prepare for school. There will be no slacking in this house, there has never been and it's not going to start now.

Knocking on his door I call his name "Goten! GOTEN! GOTEN! GET UP! BREAKFAST IS READY IT'S GOING TO GET COLD."

From inside, the room I can hear moaning and groaning…

"Mo—om! It's – too early to …. Oh' my aching head!"

"Well whose fault is it that you stayed out all night?! It is certainly not mine!"

"Be down in five minutes or you won't be getting ANY food, you hear me!"

Under my breath I mutter "I wish you could more like Gohan, he never was this much trouble."

**Goten's POV:**

I'm floating gently in liquid darkness, cool and snug, not a care in the world. It's blissful really. I could stay like this forever…

BANG, BANG, BANG!

"_Or not, I muse."_

I'm catapulted back into consciousness, by what might well be the LOUDEST sound I've ever had the horror of hearing. My head feels like someone drove a spike through it. Light brighter than any I've witness burns my eyes, even though they are closed and buried in my pillow.

"Goten! GOTEN! GOTEN! GET UP! BREAKFAST IS READY IT'S GOING TO GET COLD."

"_Joy, mom made breakfast."_

On any other day I would be somewhat more agreeable to being awoken at what must be no more than eight in the morning. Somewhat, unlike my father and brother, I never held on to the childlike ability to awake refreshed at an ungodly early hour. By the time I was 14 my mother was lucky to get me up before noon. And that was only when she bribed me with a massive meal, to a Saiyan or (half-Saiyan) teenager the only thing more important that sleep is food.

That and exercise, the hormones flowing through my veins are a thousand times more potent than that of a normal human male. As a teen training myself to exhaustion was one way of coping with the intense sexual and physical frustration of my existence.

Right now, however I just want to die, I don't care how it happens. This horrible assault on my senses has to stop. My ears are ringing, my eyes burning; my sheets feel like sand paper.

"_Gohan always said that our keen senses magnified the joys of a hangover_, _making them far worse than imaginable."_

Considering how much I drunk last night, by human standards I must have a bad one. Thus by Saiyan standards, it's a nightmare.

I try to answer mom, but the best I can do at the moment is a series of unintelligible groans.

Trying again I manage, "Mo—om! It's – too early to …. Oh' my aching head!"

She duly responds in her normal shrill tone, which succeeds in furthering my pounding headache.

"Well whose fault is it that you stayed out all night?! It is certainly not mine!"

"Be down in five minutes or you won't be getting ANY food, you hear me!"

My eyes shoot open much to my regret as the light assaults my vision unimpeded. A threat like that could wake a Son from the dead. In my father's opinion mentioning such an agony would classify as cruel and unusual, along with anything sharp and pointy.

"_How lame is it that the supposed "strongest" being in the universe is afraid of needles, not pink monsters that swallow you whole, nor intergalactic tyrants, but needles. I never took advantage of that when I was a kid … maybe it's time to change that."_

My lips curl into a rather involuntary smile as I think about using a simple medical implement to put my all powerful father in his place.

"_In his place? Kais what am I thinking, that's just cruel, more to the point, did I just think about torturing my own father?!"_

I hear the stairs squeak as mother descends back to the kitchen, before she does, she says something under her breath. Something she would never had said had she thought I could hear her.

"I wish you could more like Gohan, he never was this much trouble." She states with a tinge of sorrow in her voice.

A moment passes as these words sink in, like nails into the coffin of our relationship.

My heart beat jumps through the ceiling, power and rage course through my blood like liquid fire sweeping aside the hangover. My vision nearly goes red.

I feel like destroying everything around me, reducing everything to flame and smoke; before I manage to get my power under control, a shockwave of energy rolls off me.

The white wave of heat and anger secedes in demolishing most of my bedroom. My dresser is knocked askew, my desk upended and the chair broken into wooden splinters. The keepsakes on my selves have been for the most part shattered. My bed which I'm currently laying on has been divested of its legs, the sheets and blanket reduced to burning scraps and dust.

"Well I seemed to have made a bit of a mess heheehe." I chuckle to myself while I walk to my closet to get dressed.

"_I've gone and wreaked my entire room, good job Goten; mom's going to be pissed. Then again I really don't give a fuck; after what she just said she can take her "O' I work so hard" and stuff it."_

"_In fact I'm tired, tired of being compared to that workaholic insult to my blood. He could be the most powerful member of our dwindling race if he so much as tried. Yet he sits back at a desk all day, letting his body wither, he prefers acting like a boring, weak and pathetic human, rather than what he is. AND MOTHER wants __**me**__ to be that! Fucking forget it, I would die before suffering __**that **__fate."_

If I wasn't blinded by anger I would have wondered where these though were coming from. I had never really considered myself human that is true enough. By the same token I had never embraced myself as a Saiyan. If I was really cognizant I would have blanched at my thoughts, which would fit far more perfectly in the mouth of a certain Prince than my own.

But I was true I did resent Gohan. I had always looked up to him, he was my loving big brother; more of a father than Goku ever was. I thought him the greatest, or at least I did once, long ago.

I guess I got a bit jealous as I grew older. He was strong, strong enough that our father took notice of him. No, he wasn't just strong he was gifted. Gifted with so much power and potential, the kind I would literally do many unsavory things to have.

"_He had the kind of potential that drew awe even from dad and begrudgingly Vegeta. And he WASTED IT; he let himself be tossed around like he wasn't one of the greatest forces in the universe, chained to a life of mediocrity."_

As I dress I feel my anger solidify into a more permanent fixture, a seething in my bones that will likely last me well into the night.

I place my classic white shirt on, with my usual khaki pants and belt, black tennis shoes and for some reason today, my black windbreaker.  
I turn to leave and happen to look at my rather cracked mirror. The face that stares back is a familiar one, not in the sense that it is me, but in which me it is. I look the same as that twisted reflection in the bathroom mirror from yesterday.

*Flash back*

_I shift my head up out of the sink looking at the mirror, my face dripping with water. At that very moment the lights chose to flicker. In the milliseconds between the light and darkness the flickering lasting only a second, I saw something that chilled me to my core. _

_It was me and it wasn't me, same face same hair, but shadows fell across my face making it/me look creepy for lack of a better word. My eyes were narrowed in a deadly glare; a glint of red seemed to shine off them. My mouth was upturned in the most sinister, sadistic, smile I've ever seen. It was me but it was…. Evil._

*End Flash back*

If anything instead of being scared like a rightly should. I feel more … liberated than anything; that perhaps I shouldn't be fighting this at least not right now. I feel my lips curl into a sneer making the smile in the mirror even more twisted.

"_I'll deal with my issues later, wearing a mask right now would only hide the very emotions I want to make clear. I'll work this out when I'm less angry and can think, right now I feel pretty good, and I've never gone wrong by going with the flow."_

I get to the door and find that it's been warped into the jam by the force of my earlier outburst. A simple roundhouse kick splinters it and solves the problem of my exit.

As I walk down the stairs I begin to contemplate the real source of my anger, Mother.

"_It is she who turned Gohan into the worthless mess that he is. I remember her constant nagging and screeching about study this and study that when I was a child and he a teen. His life must have been miserable."_

"_It's no excuse though his constant placation of her is what got me into this mess. She was able to break him so she thinks she can break me. Study this, do that, it's like she's replacing Dad and Gohan with me."_

"_Does she not realize I already have a complex when it comes to those two? How many bed time stories were about the fall of the Evil King Piccolo or the demise of the Dark Lord Frieza?" _

"_And Cell don't get me started on how my "PERFECT" older brother defeated the Diabolical Cell. From how I understood Vegeta's and Piccolo's tale of it, it was Gohan's fault that dad died. Vegeta said he was showing off and because of that Cell got the chance to kill Dad."_

I think my blood pressure just tripled with that last thought. The last few rational bits of me are feeling sorry for Gohan, if he has the misfortune to run into me anytime soon.

As I clear the bottom steps, and the table comes into view, I am greeted with the sight of a mountain of different foods. Too bad that being this angry destroys one's appetite.

"Goten, What on Earth was all that noise, you better not have made a mess!" mother's voice rings out shrill and unpleasant as ever.

As I turn to face her, he peeved look slides from her face, replaced by one of … Shock? Fear? Uncertainty? From the murderous aura I'm giving off to the sneer on my face. I think she gets the message that something is rather amiss.

Keeping what's left of my cool, I turn my smile into a darkened neutral look and walk towards the table.

**Chi-Chi's POV:**

Whatever had happened it caused an enormous amount of noise. I'm going to have to clean something up, I just know it.

I watch Goten turn around; making sure my face show's my displeasure with him. That face disappears when I get a good look at my youngest.

His entire being seems to be radiating anger, on his face is a look that I've never seen; if I never see it again it will be too soon. I feel mixed emotions, fear and concern being the prominent ones. As if seeing my reaction his smile grows, before setting into a flat grimace.

He walks toward the table grabbing a piece of toast, and begins heading for the back door?

My voice finally finds me and I call out "Goten, sweetie is there anything wrong?"

He turns and smiles, that same cruel dark smile.

He speaks, but even though I can tell it is my son's voice, it seems … distorted, wrong or different, it's my baby but not as I have ever heard him before.

"Nothing is the matter mother… no that is a lie and a blatant one."

"There is something wrong, nothing big but… hehehh. Well you would think after living with us all the time you would have realized that Saiyans have a very acute sense of hearing."

"So, I'm going to set the record straight for you, once and for all."

What is going on, how dare he speak to his mother in that tone!

"I AM NOT NOR WILL I EVER BE GOHAN. I REFUSE TO BE LIKE HIM, WEAK AND FALLEN, PUSHED AROUND LIKE A DOG ON A LEASH."

The windows started to crack for the volume of Goten's outburst.

"YOU ALREADY HAVE THE SON YOU WANTED, AT THE EXPENSE OF ALL HE EVER STOOD FOR ALL HE EVER WAS TO ME AND EVERYONE ELSE. I WON'T BE LIKE HIM I REFUSE TO BOW ANY FURTHER TO YOU WHIMS, TO YOU IDEAS OF PERFECTION."

"YOU COMPLAIN THAT I AM TOO MUCH LIKE MY FATHER AND NOT ENOUGH LIKE MY BROTHER! WELL GUESS WHAT, I'VE NEITHER OF THEM. I NOT A HEARTLESS JACKASS WHO LEAVES HIS FAMILY FOR YEARS ON END. NOR AM I A PUSHOVER WHO WILL DO ANYTHING TO PLEASE OTHER."

"Goten… I … where did I go…" I manage to mumble

"Save it! I'm out of here."

I can't comprehend what has happened here. I … don't know what to do.

**Goten's POV:**

I storm from the house feeling better that I have in ages. Taking a leap I rocket into the sky, going fast enough that I trigger a sonic boom close to the ground. Likely breaking any windows still intact in both houses.

"_Kami and Kais, that felt amazing, the rush and adrenaline, not to mention getting all that of my chest. Maybe it's time that Son Goten stopped being such a "Good" boy, because if being a bit bad feels this good, I could get used to it."_

I head towards the falls at the far ends of the mountains, that's where I'll find Piccolo. Though I'm really only after the info for the Demon Wars, the meditation… I don't think I'll need it hehehe.

**Beware the following is an**

***EGG EMPEROR RANT***

**1) I'm saying this right now as a warning because of the confrontation in the next chapter, as much as people like him I am not too fond of Gohan, Goku's eldest son. This may have to do with me really getting into (or back into) the DBZ in the Greater Buu Saga. I watched the Frieza Saga as a kid and then stopped (Due to issues with our cable at the time I was unable to watch the series for some time). I will be honest I loathe the Cell Saga, the idea that a pair of cyborgs could defeat super saiyans is something I could never stomach; even more there is not too much of the Buu Saga I "Love". **

**As such I will not be very kind to Gohan in this fic. Though neither will I be to Goku, Chichi or Trunks. The hate will be spread lovingly around. Remember this fic is about Goten and from his POV, thus the people who are responsible for his current state are going to be on the receiving end of SOME Nastiness. **

**2) GOKU is the strongest fighter there is followed by Vegeta end of story; I don't care about how much you fan boys (and girls, I will not be accused of sexism) whine about that "Mystic" bull crap I ain't buying it. Buu figured out how to fight Gohan after a bit and was doing well enough that Goku felt he needed to go and "rescue" his son. And then all he does is get eaten only making Buu even stronger forcing the "unthinkable" upon Vegeta and Goku. Plus in wrath of the Dragon it is shown that Goku is stronger that his son. Gohan as mystic is unable to do a thing and SSJ3 Goku ends up killing it. Adding Vegeta's near constant training and Gohan's lack of any thereof after time has passed; I feel Justified in putting in this placement. **

**1) Goku 2) Vegeta 3) Gohan 4) Trunks 5) Goten**

**3) The above will change later in the story; rage and madness are powerful things. They can bring out abilities that one would never use in a sane state, as well as things that remained hidden for good reason. If I can at all help it there will be no SSJ4 transformation on the part of Goten or anyone else in the story, it's not that I hate it, it's just a bitch to write and a bit of a Deus Ex Mechina.**

***End Rant***

**I will try to get the 3****rd**** Chapter out by later tomorrow, if my muse holds up. I have Ideas through chapter 6.**

**Now on to something about Chapter 4, that is where the conflict with Trunks will occur, I've been PM about 6 times by a few people about something about that conflict and I decided I will let the readers decide what should happen. The poll is on my profile go there to vote, it basically discusses whether there was perhaps at least Goten's case stronger feelings than those of friendship involved. This Fic will not go into any detail the readers decide that, so it's not a real big thing. But Vote anyway so I know whether to add something like that or not.**

**Stay tuned for **_Chapter 3: Cracked._


	4. Chapter 3: Cracked- Part 1: Hairline

**The Devil's Grin**

**A DBZ Fan Fiction**

By Egg Emperor

**Chapter 3:**_** Cracked**_

**Part 1:**_** Hairline **_

– _A single crack is all it takes_

_Given time the glass will break_

_Under daily stress and strain_

_Through blowing wind or driving rain?_

_From life's little troubles it does grow_

_A fatal spider's web–_

**Hi all, Egg Emperor with Chapter 3 of The Devil's Grin. I'm sorry I haven't updated this thing, especially when I said that I likely would. This coming chapter has had me excited for a while now and I though writing it would be no problem. Turns out though there was in fact a problem; they say muse is fleeting but really that's no excuse since I had this thing pretty much though out completely for a while now. No the issue was motivation or lack thereof. So this thing has been hanging in limbo for a while. A word of warning this chapter is rather graphic in depictions of Violence and Death. It is also (a lot) longer than any chapter before it. This will not be the norm for chapters, which will remain at around 3500+/- a few hundred.**

**Because of this instead of Posting what will likely be a single 10-11,000 word chapter I will be breaking this thing into three parts.**

**Also any POV that is unspecified is assumed to be either 3****rd**** Person Omniscient (Prologue for example) or Goten's POV (Most of the rest of the Story). The contextual clues will provide the answer.**

**Now before we get one with the show, special thanks goes to millionair00 whose review finally made me want to get up off my duff and write this thing. Second but no lesser Special thanks go to Arian for telling me to hurry the - up and finish this thing. So without further ado, I present Part 1 of 3 of Chapter 3 of The Devils Grin.**

**Note: Independent internal thoughts are in "**_**Italics".**_

_**Unknown XX Year XXX CA? X: XX –Unknown**_

Darkness covers a burnt and wasted landscape, stained red and black with fire and brimstone. The air is choked with smoke, buildings or what remains of them crumble across the devastated scene.

A city in the distance burns its buildings falling to the ground. The fires gleam against the black skies reflecting a red-orange glow upon the land, staining it twice again red; covering what had to be no less than what rivers of blood had missed.

A massive explosion rents the air as the burning city is dissolved into dust, a mushroom of fire moves upward.

Giant apes, the size of skyscrapers lumber across the tortured earth, a beam of death from one of their mouths the cause for the city's final demise. Not that it wasn't already in the throes of death, its inhabitants long having either left or been sent to Yemma's domain.

Looking around I realize that is not quite true, I see them now; some of what must have been the residents of that fallen metropolis running below me. They are fleeing from the monstrous apes, who are scorching the ground with flaming breath.

As they pass below, a feeling strikes me; no longer as a passive observer should I remain. Feelings of power, like liquid fire course through my veins. It is a call a call to join them, to rejoice in the annihilation of the world below me, to become one of them.

I try to resist but the call becomes so intoxicating I give in to it, a feeling like sex, lust; power but even greater all the same. I feel my muscles bulge with power, growing in size, exploding outward, never stopping; my vision goes red, a scream is rent from my pulsing form, it soon becomes a roar. My body contorts and twists in white hot agonizing pain, which brings me equally sensual pleasure.

And as soon as it began it's over and I join my brethren in the culmination of what could be only described as a holocaust of all life on this world.

I grab a one of the fleeing creatures in my hand, he looks to be not but a few years younger than myself, he has peach skin and blue hair; he is terrified; I revel in his fear. I squeeze, his cries making me tighten my hand all the more.

His scream of death pierces the soot filled air "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH…..

_**December 18**__**th**__** Year 789 CA 1:24 PM –Somewhere Over the Ocean**_

…HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHAh!"

I awake with a frightened scream, still in the meditative pose I had taken a few hours earlier. I'm drenched in sweat; my stomach is tied in knots. My body feels like it's on fire. I think I might be running a fever

That I must have fallen asleep while meditating is the only conclusion I can gather in my rather shattered state.

Tears flow from my eyes, I killed someone; he was no more than a kid like me, an innocent. It was a just dream, a horrible awful nightmare, but still I did it, I killed him, squeezed the life from him till his blood ran like the juice from an orange.

At the thought my stomach unknots itself. I vomit. Green bile spilling from my mouth, much like had the blood of that kid as I murdered him. The thought only makes me effuse more of my digestive tract into the open air, falling towards the sea below.

"_Not only did I kill him but I reveled in it, enjoyed it, and the apes. Ozaru, how is that possible, this doesn't make sense…"_

I realize I'm shaking, my Ki is all over the map; I'm having trouble staying air born. Looking around I notice that my disturbed energy has whipped up quite the storm

And by its size I realize that I'm in a really messed up state.

The storm is thundering around me, bolts of lightning arching across the sky. Soon the rain begins to fall; the storm has gathered all the energy it needs from me, by now it's self-sustaining. I shiver violently in the chilled air, some from the cold, mostly from fear and disgust.

My Ki control is failing due to my mental state; I realize I won't stay aloft much longer. The storm has grown severe enough that the midday sun has been all but blocked out. A grim reminder of the nightmare I had just awoken from.

In between the pulses of lightning I see that several thousand feet below me is a small group of island.

Without hesitation I dive towards the largest one, in hopes of finding shelter from the storm, both the one that raged around me and the one that grew inside me.

The waves are crashing along the shore as I dive inward into the forested interior of the island. Heading through the jungle I hit the mountain that makes up the heart of the landmass; by my luck I find a cave where I can take shelter and stock of my situation.

_**December 18**__**th**__** Year 789 CA 2:03 PM – Waterfalls of Mt. Pazou**_

**Gohan's POV:**

Sometimes I wonder why I bother even visiting Piccolo anymore, I'm 34 years old; long gone are the days when I was a child and oblivious to the fact I was a major pain in the normally grumpy Namek's ass.

"_Hell back then I didn't even know what an ass was; I would have probably though it was a type of food…"_

"…_Maybe not, that's something Dad or Goten would do. Not to say I was never guilty of it but I think I would have realized it wasn't something edible. To this day I have a suspicion that Goten still thinks certain large words are simply exotic dishes, he can be really immature for his age, again a lot like Dad."_

Back to the problem at hand, a rather pissed off Namek.

It may be just me but as I think Piccolo has gotten more irritable and cranky as the years have gone by.

Given, having to deal with all the crazy super-fiends that had popped up over the years might have taken a toll on his nerves. Not to mention the stress of having to train me, my brother and Trunks at various points to avoid some impending crisis, I guess it's a wonder he hasn't gone completely nuts.

"Piccolo is there something bothering you?"

"Besides the fact that you wear those glasses when you have eyesight better than a hawk and seem to enjoy taking time out of my meditation, no, nothing, I'm just peachy!"

"_Ok now I know something is wrong, Piccolo would never say peachy, plus sarcasm is not something he uses, he's always straight and to the point. He is only ever sarcastic when something is really bothering him, or if he's around Vegeta."_

"Piccolo what's wrong, your my former mentor and master, I know you well enough that I can tell when something is troubling you."

**Piccolo's POV:**

Honestly, I just wish Gohan would go away right now. I'm not mad or anything of the sort, at least not with him.

But what I have on my mind I rather not talk about, for one thing I'm not sure there's any reason to be alarmed, at least not yet.

Secondly despite the airs he puts on, that he is a mature calm and level adult, he is still oftentimes the rambunctious and hotheaded little kid I knew all those years ago. He can easily jump to conclusions and has trouble following other's advice. And unlike his father, he sometimes feels that force is not always meant to be a choice of last resort. In this instance such a stance could prove disastrous.

He also has a tendency to think that he has the perfect solution to any problem, and often dismisses possibilities when he should know better. Given the life he has lived he should know that if you can imagine something it damn very well could be real. I mean we've faced intergalactic tyrants, a crazy science experiment with a superiority complex and a pink Genie with a candy fetish, how much weirder can you get?

In short his place in the world has given him a bit of a big head… and arrogance is the last thing that any of us needs right now. The idea that everything can simply be overcome with training and perseverance may not apply in this case.

"_Truth be told though, those glasses __**do **__irritate me to hell and back. To anyone else it might make him look distinguished. To me though, knowing he has perfect eyesight it feels pretentious, and that's something I__** KNOW**__ neither Goku nor I raised him to be."_

"You have me kid."

He turns back to look me, adjusting those damnable glasses, likely out of habit.

"So what's going on to make you so irritable?" He asks me.

"It's not so much as irritable as worried and concerned; in fact you had it right before, you could say I am troubled."

"Why?"

"It is none of you concern Kid. It's mine and mine alone. "

"_For now at least."_

"Piccolo in all the years I've know you, you've never been this uptight, even during the whole Buu fiasco years ago you were all calm and cool."

"True, but back with Buu I knew the stakes, either we would beat him, or he'd kill us all. This time though I have no idea what were really up against, or if were even up against anything for that matter."

"Piccolo you're speaking in riddles, what are you talking about? Is there some threat to the Earth that we're not aware of?" Gohan replies, pacing back and forth in front of the pond that my waterfall drains into. He actually looks concerned.

"_Just great, now there's no way I can get him to leave without giving him an answer. I'd lie but I'm worse at it than Goku is and that is saying a lot. The only way Goku can ever lie is by omission, as long as he doesn't say anything he can get away with it… soon as someone confronts him though, he sings like a drunken canary."_

"I'd much rather address this issue with your father, or even better Tarble if I knew how to contact him without having to go through Vegeta."

"Tarble? Why Vegeta's little brother? If there is a threat to the planet, calling the weakest Saiyan in existence to help sounds rather weird."

"As much as I wish to berate you on how Vegeta-esque you just sounded, I'm not going to waste the time to do it. Besides Tarble isn't as weak as you might think, several years ago Vegeta trained him to become a Super Saiyan; though I suspect it was mainly because he couldn't stand the idea of a Royal being the last un-ascended Saiyan in existence. When Vegeta offers to help with something its only because he somehow has his ego invested in it."

"As for why him, the reason is that Tarble is likely the one of the most knowledgeable people in existence when it comes to Saiyans next Vegeta, and he is far more hospitable and understanding than his hotheaded brat of sibling. Who rather hates me in case you forgot; I might add also that the feeling is mutual which makes Vegeta a resource of **last resort**."

Gohan stares at me looking rather confused, I don't think he has quite put it together, that the threat we "may" face is coming from a Saiyan or rather a Demi-Saiyan to be exact.

"Kid I get you're confused."

"Hauhhh" I sigh rather loudly, I guess I really don't have a choice.

I've now decided to tell him everything, even though I know it might just make things worse. I emerge from under the waterfall drying myself with a burst of energy.

I motion to Gohan to have a seat but he seems content to stand. I'm going to have to get him to sit though I'm not sure I'm comfortable having him up where he can just jet off if he gets too worried.

"Son, sit down please, what I'm about to tell you is mostly suspicion and a bit of knowledge I've gathered over the past years but it's rather heavy stuff. I don't want you jumping to conclusions and running off before I finish. I need you word you'll hear me out completely before you do anything."

**Gohan's POV:**

"_Piccolo called my by last name… this must really be serious, he never does that, it's always been "kid" or Gohan as long as I can remember… Maybe I should take a seat and listen to what he has to say."_

"Sure Piccolo I give you my word." I reply looking direct at him.

"Good, the reason I've been so preoccupied, is that you are not the first Son to visit me today, and the events of that visit have got me concerned."

I'm shocked, Dad hasn't visited any of us in years ,the last time I saw him was nearly 3 years ago at the last tournament, and I hadn't seen him for five before that. That was two years after he left, I was 26 and Goten was 15, Pan was 3.

"So what did Dad have to say?"

"Goku?"

"Yeah"

"Now you're just being dense kid, I said earlier that you father was one of the people I wanted to talk to about this whole thing."

"Wait, if not Dad, then…. Goten? Why was he here? And what could my baby brother have been doing that made you worried?"

I inwardly sigh…

"_Great I have to tell him off for worrying Piccolo, he's probably is pulling some prank with Trunks that's going to cause mass panic, like that fake reactor meltdown that caused half of West City to be evacuated."_

"So what are he and Trunks planning..?"

"Trunks….?"

"Yeah he and Goten are always causing some kind of crisis; I assume that is why …"

"Trunks is not involved in this Son Gohan, though I would have thought you'd know that."

"_There is again my name, with anyone else it's just that a name, with Piccolo; it's a warning of a serious situation."_

" Goten came to me to ask about the Demon wars my Father waged against this planet ages ago, seems he has a research paper due at the beginning of the next semester. And in his wisdom he decided that instead of doing all the research on his own, he could hear it from the illustrious Demon King himself."

"I can't say that that doesn't make me happy because it does."

I look at him, Piccolo seems to be enjoying this demon king thing a bit too much, by the smirk on his face and the prideful tone of his voice.

"So what's with my baby bro that's got you all in a bind?"

I'm a bit peeved with Goten right now, just where does he get off using Piccolo as a historical resource when he should be doing the work himself?

"Something was just off about you brother when he came to visit me."

"Off?" I replied

"Yes…" Piccolo let the word hang in the air before he continued."

"So you upset because my brother's in a bad mood…? Man Piccolo, perhaps you need to get yourself checked, beside what could Goten do? He just pouts when he gets mad…"

"And as for what you brother could do to make me worried, Goten is capable of quite a bit, perhaps if you or anyone else paid attention you would know **just** what he is capable of. In fact lack of attention may well be the cause of some of the mess we might be in." He replies with a dour face and a grim tone in his speech.

My head snaps around as I turn to face him, now I am a bit worried.

"_There was something chilling in Piccolo's tone just then, like he knows something that I don't, something that isn't good."_

"When Goten stopped by, I noticed right away that he seemed on edge, jittery, which annoyed the hell out of me. But when I stopped to really look, I realized that something was very wrong, several things were not as they should have been. "

"What do you mean Piccolo, was he sick!? Man If he gets ill and Mom finds out I knew about it I'll never hear the end of it!"

"I think he might have been a bit hung-over." Piccolo says like it's the most natural thing in the world.

My mouth gapes I know for a fact I look like a fish. I'm angry at this point; I know I'm going to hear from Mom about this. I'm going to clobber that brat.

"_Great, just great, not only is Goten shirking his studies, he's going to parties and getting drunk, what the hell is he thinking?"_

"But that wasn't the main issue, what is, is Goten's Ki level… it beyond anything I've ever felt from him, he was leaking energy all over the place."

"_That's really odd, Goten has always had really good Ki control; he was a master at suppressing and managing it. What could have changed?"_

"We all last saw each other at that summer barbeque that Bulma threw months ago, right?"

"Yeah I remember that." I reply dully

"I'm not seeing how this has anything to do with my brother's power being a bit high."

I'm guessing that I'm a bit exasperated at this point.

"It wasn't just a bit Kid." Piccolo states with his usual grim face.

"His power is now nearly 4 times what it was half a year ago. It has more than tripled in a little over 6 months, and this is his base level mind you. If I'm right, he now outclasses Trunks by a wide margin, he's now only an arms' distance or two from you Kid. Gohan, that kind of power increase doesn't happen like that. Not that quickly, not even you father could ever manage that. It's not just crazy, it's unnatural. Something is just not right."

I'm dumbfounded, for the second time in less than a half hour I'm doing an impersonation of a fish.

"_That much power? That quickly? He's not kidding when he says it's crazy. Surpassing Trunks I can understand, but getting close to equaling me? That's hard to believe… Not that it's impossible but… I mean hell I have access to the Kai's Mystic form which surpasses my SSJ transformation and is more energy efficient than SSJ2. Also in speaking of it I have the second level when it comes to raw power. Heck I was more powerful than Dad till he obtained SSJ3."_

As if sensing my thoughts again Piccolo brings me back to reality.

"Don't get cocky Kid, while it's true that Goten still has a way to go if he is to surpass you, you're not almighty anymore, you lack of training has taken its toll, you powers are but a shadow of what they once were. You are nowhere near where you were when you defeated Cell."

"_As much as it roils me to admit it, Piccolo is right, I was at my peak when I defeated Cell, ever since then my training has taken a backseat until it stopped altogether around 7 years ago. I'm probably only about maybe a third as powerful as I was back then. It's a sobering thought that my little brother may some day pass me…"_

"…_Over my dead body! I have to get back to training, at least on the weekends. If Goten passes me by, neither he nor Dad, would let me hear the end of it. Vegeta would be merciless, and Piccolo would likely not speak to me..." _

Piccolo speaks again snapping me out of my musings of being the butt of the Z-gang's jokes.

"Gohan I have to ask you, how well do you know your brother? And not the kid you grew up with, I'm talking about the young man that lives right next door."

"What do you mean by that Piccolo?" He looks at me curiously, almost with sadness or pity in his eyes.

I feel a bit of anger move into my body, I know my posture changes.

"_Is he suggesting I somehow don't know my own brother?"_

"That is precisely what I'm suggesting kid." Piccolo replies, as if he read my mind.

I stare at him; did he just read me so completely as to predict my question?

"_Well I guess that's Piccolo for you, he is wise beyond compare."_

"You really don't know Goten _–" in fact my fear is no one really does" –_ you already proved that just minutes ago; if you had at least talked with him then you would have known that he and Trunks had a huge falling out years ago, as far as I know they haven't spoken in half a decade."

To say I'm surprised is an understatement…

"_Goten and Trunks were always together, to the point that it was really impossible to think about one without considering the other. Back then, where there was Trunks there was Goten, like where there's smoke there's fire… In more ways than one considering all the chaos and mayhem those two could unleash. To think that they're no longer friends is crazy enough. To think that I didn't know that they weren't friends is even more baffling."_

"And before you ask me I have no idea why their friendship suddenly collapsed. Neither one will talk about it, but I get the distinct feeling that Goten did something. Something that really …"

The look on Piccolo's face is odd; it looks like he's trying to search for the correct phrase to finish his thought. Though I'm getting the feeling it's less the correct phrase and more the one that will least upset me.

"…Scared, or perhaps upset Trunks. In fact Trunks tends to lock up when you mention Goten, almost as if he is afraid of him."

Trunks afraid, that idea is strange in and of itself. Trunks afraid of my little brother, that is ludicrous.

"As I said before I have no idea why Trunks would be afraid of someone he considered his best friend, but I do have a few suspicions. And those hunches, tie in to what I witnessed or rather felt today."

I look at him, by now Piccolo has my full and undivided attention. By now I'm slowly getting the feeling that this conversation is going somewhere that is going to be really unpleasant.

"It was not really the mass of Goten's power that concerned me Gohan, but the qualities it possessed that made me nervous."

I stare right at him, _"Qualities? What does he mean by that?"_

"What do you mean by qualities?" I ask.

"Ah that's right Kami was never able to teach Goku that skill, so it's to reason that you don't have it either."

"You and I can both sense the Ki signatures of various people and by their unique traits assign them to a specific person, as well as monitor the level of power they are using. As a Namek I can go a step further and determine the intention in the Ki. That is I can tell a person's intent and mood as well as temperament from their Ki signature beyond just feeling enough difference to assign it to a specific person."

I look at Piccolo, I know that dad was able to do something similar but apparently it was just something innate that he developed over the years.

"_He hadn't had it before he died; so it could be related to his time in other world. I remember him saying Majin Buu's power as immense as it was evil, I could feel enormous presence of that monster's power, and I knew the thing was evil, but I could never feel it solely from its Ki."_

Piccolo's voice snaps me from my musings.

"Normal the Ki you Son's have is bright and pure, overwhelming like a star, but there is no malice in it. Even when Goku was trying to kill Frieza and you were fighting Cell, your power only shown redder and brighter under your fury, there were only small tinges of darkness with you father. There was more contamination with you but it was gone within a few weeks."

That was a relief to hear in a way. I know I lost myself to my power during that final fight with Cell. Piccolo wouldn't look me in the eyes for days after that, and Vegeta just kept smirking whenever I looked at him.

"Goten's was once much the same; today though it felt more like I was looking at a black hole, an abyss of power. This morning you brother's Ki was like nothing I had ever felt from him, it heavy, savage. Twisted and violent, feral; darkened and furious, there are only a handful of beings that I have felt a more disturbing signature from."

"The closest comparison I could find would be the Ki signature of your Uncle, Raditz, only much more vast _–_ "_It actually felt closer to something like Frieza ,but there's no way in Hell that I would tell him that, I can't have Gohan going off the deep end. Raditz was a close second though."_ – Who wasn't the most pleasant person I'm sure you would remember.

I'm actually fluctuating between disbelief and anger, with some fear mixed in.

"_How is it possible that Goten's Ki in his normal state surpasses the twistedness that I obtained when I defeated Cell? It was my new found sadistic tendencies that caused the death of my father when I didn't finish Cell right away. After that I swore that I would never use SSJ2 unless it was life or death. I didn't want to ever fall victim to that darkness again. And yet it never truly went away, I still have those dark thoughts, lessened but still present to this day. They are a part of me, something in me was changed that day and it has haunted me ever since. I guess it was the price I paid for such unbelievable power."_

"_Super Saiyan transformations are fueled by anger and rage, righteous fury perhaps, but none the less they are contaminating to the Soul. I know Dad had trouble with the Spirit Bomb for a while after Namek, and I felt unclean for weeks after Cell. To think my baby brother's Ki is normally worse than that is unfathomable."_

"_And to have the nerve to compare Goten to Raditz, that man was a monster, what is Piccolo thinking even if Goten is having issues to say he is similar…" _

"Many years ago your brother came to me; he had to be only 15 or 16 at the time. He was scared trembling actually. He had just come off a rather difficult series of maneuvers in preparation for the World Tournament that I had been running him Trunks and many of the other younger fighters through. He confessed to me that he enjoyed it, the thrill of the fight and rush. I saw no problem in this and simply smiled at him."

"_I really don't see what's wrong with that, we're a family of martial artists and Saiyans to boot; of course we enjoy a good fight."_

"I don't see anything wrong with that." I said smiling

"I didn't either, but I had misunderstood."

My smile sinks a tad.

"Misunderstood?"

"Yes, he clarified that he feared he enjoyed it too much; that underlying it all he felt more primal urges, not a lust for battle but for blood. Urges to not stop, to **finish** the fight; to cause pain, to destroy and even kill. He feared that soon he might not be able to hold himself back. He was scared of himself Gohan, scared that he would lose control and really hurt someone."

My smile is now replaced by a grimace I didn't know I was capable of making.

"_What the hell… what the fucking hell, why had I never heard of this? Why the fuck didn't Piccolo tell me, I could have helped… I could have done… Something, anything!"_

"I highly doubt that there was anything either you or I could have done to help him, Gohan, I never even told Goku of this." He looks at me sympathetically.

"I DON' T CARE! I HAD A RIGHT TO KNOW! DAD HAD A RIGHT TO KNOW! Why the hell did you keep this from me, from us?" I burst. The veins in my neck must be bulging, I've never been this mad at Piccolo, ever. Why and how did he keep this from me? This is my little brother we're talking about.

"Because I made a promise, one that regretfully, I am breaking right now. Goten, he begged me not to tell anyone, he already was afraid of himself, he didn't want you all to see him as a monster."

Right then and there I felt my heart break… Despite my situation, Goten was my everything when I was a teen growing up. Hell I practically raised him; he was so adorable and kind and pure, not like me. It was him really that saved me from myself back then, from the self-loathing at what I had allowed myself to become at the Cell games. I stayed grounded because my little brother needed me, him and to an extent mom.

"_He was and is my sweet baby brother; I could never see him as anything but that … I could never think him a monst…."_

"_If anyone in this world is a monster it's me not him… surely the darkness in my heart, is worse than anything he …"_

"_I don't know what to think anymore, to know that Goten was struggling through this all on his own. Why? Why did he keep it from us? Did he think we would be angry or disappointed, that we would blame him?"_

"Hugh…" I sigh and my thoughts.

"…_We would have, or at least mom world have, her "perfect" life would have been once again interrupted. And Dad… He wasn't even there. And I, I would have been disappointed too…"_

The conclusion sends me reeling.

"_I can't deny it, I would have been disappointed, I would have felt that I had failed as an older brother, and he would have misread that disappointment as directed towards him…. Like he …. Always did as a kid."_

"_Kai's Piccolo said it was lack of insight… no that's not the word he used….attention that what he said. It's true when I think on it, Dad had left to train Uub; I had gotten married, Pan was born. I had my own life to take care of, which meant that Goten was either on his own…. Or with Mom…"_

"Unnnngh" I groan, "Perhaps Goten's problems are not really all quite his."

My thoughts are interrupted as Piccolo continues.

"I see you're starting to realize you whole position in this mess Kid. Unfortunately, you don't know the half of it. You need know all the facts."

"As much as I would like to think that it is just family drama Kid, there is more to it than that."

"Way back when he came to me Goten said he had some ideas about what might be happening. He said that since he was about nine, he always was aware that his Saiyan half was stronger and more present, that it ever was in either you or Trunks, he also wasn't sure it was always that way. He didn't know how he knew this; he said he could just sense it, that it was somehow innate knowledge to him."

I stare a Piccolo as he reveals a story and events that I never knew existed. In a way I'm still mad a Piccolo, I still feel that I could have somehow helped my little brother. But at the same time I'm glad he kept his word and held what my brother told him in confidence.

"He told me that the aggressive thoughts, the blood lust if you will, started not long after he turned eight, though it was very weak and he hardly noticed it. But by the time he was 14, these though were ever present whenever he fought.

I'm beginning to realize why he wanted to talk to Tarble, if this was a Saiyan relate issue, one that had to deal with our genetics and biology; then if anyone knew what was going on with Goten it was either him of Vegeta.

"Still it must not be completely debilitating to him, he's still his normal self, enjoying life and happy to a fault, I could see how this might be a problem for Goten if he ever entered another tournament but…"

"You still don't understand do you kid?" Piccolo remarks with a rather peeved look, he seems to be losing his patients with me.

"His "normal" self, Gohan do you even understand that you talking about a fake person, something that doesn't exist?" He's yelling at me at this point

"The Hell are you talking about Piccolo, a fake person? You make it seem as I don't know my brother at all."

"Because you don't know him, no one does. The only reason I have a clue and Dende does for that matter is we Nameks are an empathic species. No matter how many fronts and fake smiles Goten puts on we can see right through him.

"_See right through him; is Piccolo saying the Goten I know isn't real, that I don't know what my little brother is like, who he is?"_

"If you truly had a grasp on who Goten is you would also know that that happy go lucky bit is just that, an act, and it's been that way for nearly 10 years. The real Goten is a moody, pessimistic and unpredictable young man who has a penchant for violence when he's pushed past his limits."

"_To say I'm in shock would be meaningless at this point. I honestly don't know if I have any "shock" left in me. A dull ache in my heart would be more accurate, a feeling of desperation and despair."_

As Piccolo looks on with a grim face I let my thoughts consume me.

" _I… could I have been that blind to him… could we all have been so absorbed in our own pathetic troubles to never notice he was suffering? Could Goten have gotten so good at pretending that he was happy that I, mom and everyone else was fooled? It sounds like even Piccolo wasn't too sure about him until today… What should I do, I need to talk to him, maybe even knock some sense into him… He can't just keep these things bottled up."_

**Piccolo's POV:**

I watch Gohan frown and go into deep thought. He takes those blasted glasses off and places them in his shirt pocket, and begins to rub his furrowed brow in concentration. This keeps up for a several moments before he abruptly stands up.

"_I wonder what he's thinking… Even more I wonder if it was wise to tell him all of this. It is true that of all people he was the closest person to Goten aside from Trunks which is no longer an option, but I'm not sure of their relationship as it is now. I can only pray that he doesn't make the situation any worse. He can't go into this with a hot head."_

Gohan turns to face me and opens his eyes a hard look on his face.

"Piccolo… Thanks, for telling me this. If you right Goten has some serious problems and they may spiral out of control if we leave them be. I'm going to go talk to him, maybe if I can get him to open up and just air his feelings maybe I can help him. I was always close to him, so if he'll let me…."

"Gohan, I know you want to help your little brother, but **don't** do anything rash, be calm and collected and above all don't provoke him. Dende's always worried how much of the planet is going to get destroyed when you guys have your arguments. The poor kid is practically developing a neurosis from all the stress. I other words Gohan, don't make me regret telling you all of this."

"I won't Piccolo I promise!" Gohan says before shooting into the sky, back towards his home on Mt. Paouz's Summit.

"_I'll hold you to that one kid… I'm begging the Kais that I don't end up regretting this…"_

**Ok people there is part one. As I write Part 2 is almost done and will be posted likely around Midnight or so. Part three depends on if I feel like pulling an all-nighter. **

**Not much to take note of yet. The main author's notes for the Chapter will be posted with part 3. I will admit this is not the first time I had the idea to break this chapter, but I hesitated until it got to the point where it was as large as Chapters 1,2 and the Prologue combined. It would be weird to have a single 10K chapter sitting among those that are 3-5K at max. I also felt guilty about holding back so much to finish this thing so I though by breaking it into sections you won't have to wait as long. I may recombine these into one chapter if it becomes apparent that the size is not an abnormality ( i.e. if future chapters start to get this large) and this size becomes the norm.**

**This Johannes E.E. signing off, stay tuned for part 2, **_Chapter 3: Cracked-Part 2: Fracture_


	5. Chapter 3: Cracked- Part 2: Fracture

**The Devil's Grin**

**A DBZ Fan Fiction**

By Egg Emperor

**Chapter 3:**_** Cracked**_

**Part 2:**_** Fracture**_

–_Crissed Crossed Cracks,_

_And Broken lines_

_Once together 17 times_

'_Or the years counted_

_And these years lost,_

_The Mind forever now tempest tossed.–_

**I thank you for waiting; I know I promised I would get this out earlier. Unfortunately a family emergency of sort prevented this from getting out on time like I had hoped. Not only that, but until things settle down my positing will not have a regular weekly schedule as I had intended. The final section of this chapter may be further delayed depending on the circumstances.**

**Now without further Ado let's get on with part 2 of 3 of Chapter 3 of the Devil's Grin.**

_**December 18th Year 789 CA 1:41 PM – Island Cave Somewhere on Ocean**_

**Goten's POV:**

It's cold in this cave, but that not's what's causing me to shiver. No the outside conditions barely touch upon my senses, as I begin to figure out just what the Hell I had dreamt...

I had made a small fire, gathering small leaves and sticks using my Ki to light it. I tried to think of anything but the dream I just had; it was hopeless. The dark thoughts in my head could no longer be repressed. I had to address them. As I began to think on my situation I stared into the flaring flames, so like the fires that laid waste to my dreamscape.

"_All the things that are happening to me… this anger that never seems to leave me, what is going on? I… could I be going insane?"_

"_The dream, those apes … Ozaru, they were Saiyans. That planet was being destroyed by Saiyans; but how, they're all dead… I mean it's a dream but… How did I even know what an Ozaru looks like? Not to mention, it felt so real."_

My closed eyes snap open in surprise and fear when I remember a key detail.

"_I … I transformed! But that… I can't, I don't have my tail; it was cut it off when I was born just to avoid that sort of thing."_

A sharp shock goes through me; I break into a cold sweat.

"_It…It couldn't have! Could it?"_

My hand hands nervously fly to my rear end, panic setting into my chest, a lump forming in my throat. They brush my backside and find nothing amiss, nothing is there.

"Thank Kami!"I gasp, praising whatever deity or being might be watching. The idea that my tail could have grown back, that I could have turned into a monster, terrifies me.

"_There's still the issue of my sanity and the potential that I could be losing it…Either that… or I'm still turning into some kind of monster… just not physically."_

I wrack my brain trying to not to panic when, clearly perhaps that is the right thing to do.

I decide to take account of all that has been happening, and then use that to figure what the hell's going on with me.

I've been having more and more trouble controlling my temper, among other things.

"_Losing my cool with mom and almost blasting my History professor are just some more recent examples."_

"_Then there is that almost schizophrenic thinking, like there are two of me fighting in my head. Myself and that "other" me who seems to want me to blast things… That started a few months back, but now that I think of it since early today I haven't had that sort of split thinking. It's like me and the other me have come together, both voices now praise malicious behavior as one."_

"Well at least I'm now agreeing with myself instead of fighting… he he he" I say out loud to no one in particular, the statement and the forced laugh more to reassure myself than anything. It's not working.

Listing off the things that have been going wrong lately I come to the conclusion that I have no idea what's happening to me. That and I'm scared, I'm scared of myself. I'm terrified of what's going to happen to me.

"_This…whatever it is, is consuming me slowly but surely. The fact that my voice of opposition is growing weaker only confirms that fact_. _This… my own inner darkness it's taking me over. As… as it grows stronger, what…?"_

"_No… I know what will happen. What's going to happen."_

The end result, the conclusion I come to … I feel sick again… But I have nothing left to expel, which leads to a minute of horrible dry retching.

"_When it finally comes time for it, I know I won't fight. By that point I will have been so turned by it I know I embrace it willingly with open arms. I will go quietly and willingly into the night; that will be the death of last bit of me and the birth of a "different" Son Goten."_

Now I have a mission a task, I have to figure out what's going on with me. And stop it before I end up hurting people.

"Now where to start?" I voice out loud.

As far as I know, none of my human friends have this problem, so I could start with that.

"_My heritage, my genes, that's as good a place as any to start. Perhaps this is some sort of Saiyan problem?"_

My Saiyan side has always been strong. I became a Super Saiyan, before I could really remember; I was the youngest of all of the half-saiyans to become one (excluding Bra). But when I was 7, I remember things changing. There was that whole calamity with Majin Buu and it was during that time that my genes seemed to kick into overdrive. I remember when it first happened, the first time where I truly wanted to physically harm someone. Buu had killed mom and our friends. I wanted to kill him…

"…_No, I wanted to torture him, to cause him the pain that he caused me. Or at least I did at first. But as time went by, and I thought about how I would go about doing it; I realized something… unsettling. I derived more satisfaction from thinking about the ways that I would make him writhe in agony rather than avenging my family and myself upon him."_

The idea of deriving pleasure from the harm of another living being was a feeling and idea completely alien to me at the time. I was a naïve and mostly clueless little kid, and with fighting Buu I had much bigger things to worry about. After Buu was destroyed life for the most part went back to normal, yes my fighting instincts had become heightened and I did fight to draw blood, but it was never more than that.

Of course they didn't stay that way, five years later when I was 13 my life fell apart. Dad left to train some kid that I didn't even know. Without so much as a word on when he would return.

"_To say I was upset would be an understatement."_

I had wanted him to really start training me, so I could get as strong as Gohan, and make him proud.

"_That's all I ever wanted really, praise, to be acknowledged by him. I craved the true affection from a victory. Not the sappy falsehoods that all parents feed young children."_

"_I wanted to become like him… not my brother who had increasingly become less than impressive in my eye."_

But he left before I could ask him; he's been gone now nearly ten years, it's almost like he died again.

"_I loved my Dad from the moment I met him, when as a little boy I jumped into his arms. Ever since then I have tried and in my opinion failed to gain his approval, and in a way, that's to be expected._

"_I honestly think that Dad didn't really know what to make of me. As a child I was ridiculously strong, far more powerful than he or Gohan was at that age. I was also equally naïve and innocent to point of being dense. I was just a cute little kid, that looked wide eyed at that world as my playground; in the end I really didn't need to be that sharp or observant. In our little duo Trunks took care of most of the thinking. And when it came to safety there wasn't much to worry about, as far as young kids went I was indestructible, there was very little that could hurt me."_

On top of that puberty hit and with it a flood of both Human and Saiyan hormones.

"_That was when things got bad, I felt so much power and rage and instinct surge into me in a matter of months. It was maddening."_

I managed to maintain the newly constructed happy façade that I had built when my father left. But underneath I was a maelstrom of violence, anger and hate. A lust for battle transformed into a lust for blood, be it of friends or foes alike. I wanted to rage to destroy, the desire eventually became overpowering, for a while I even took up the Vegeta esque hobby of destroying mountains as a way to manage myself.

Unfortunately, Piccolo and Dende finally got fed up with my reckless and wonton destruction of sections of the planet and told me that I had to stop or else they would have to tell Gohan and Vegeta.

"_I guess I kind of deserved to be told off, after all that day I did go a bit overboard and vaporized an entire mountain range that time. That, come to think of it is likely the reason that Piccolo and Dende are still alive after saying that to me. I had drained nearly all of my power and satisfied my "inner-Saiyan" enough with my senseless destruction that I was really able to think straight and rationally enough to see that they were right."_

It was shortly after that in fact that I confided in Piccolo about my problems and fears. He reassured me that he would do what he could to help and that it was likely a bad reaction to the influx of hormones. He said that in all likelihood the issues would fade with time.

And it did, as time went by I manage to keep it under control with greater ease. It would show in battle which is why I stopped fighting, though I continued to train. Slowly I managed to push these feelings and instincts away, until they no longer affected me.

"_Except in a fight…" _I note sadly a single tear falling.

"… _then all bets are off. If I will admit it to myself that is how I lost Trunks, that match he prodded me into having with him when we were 17. I lost control and I lost my best friend in the process." _A second tear falls to join it's sibling as I shake the thought from my head.

The problem is I'm feeling like I did when I was a teenager…

So why are they coming back full force? These dark desires the want to shed blood and cause carnage. I haven't felt like I have in the past half year or so since I was fourteen. I thought I had beaten this back then. So why is it back? Why do I have these dark ideas once again?

"_It's not just that though, things are different this time. I'm having destructive urges and catching myself in them. The violent thoughts are more frequent, if I'm honest it's actually worse now than it was when I was younger. Hell in the past weeks I've caught myself trying to blast three people, had thoughts of violently beating my friends, demolished my bedroom and contemplated torturing my own father…"_

My lips suddenly curl into an involuntary smile. A feeling of warmth spreads through me.

"_The… Hell… I know it's wrong, evil, so why am I responding this way? Why did I just smile? Why do I feel warm and fuzzy? I… perhaps I'm lying to myself; I know it's wrong… but… I don't care …do I?"_

The idea that I feel nothing wrong bothers me.

"_That's the thing, not only do I just not feel like I don't care, but what scares me more is not the thought itself but that I feel no real guilt from it."_

I put all my effort into deciphering this malign enigma.

"_Why?"_

"_Why do I not care? Why don't I feel guilty?" _ I ask myself.

"_This is my Dad, my father…."_

"_Dad… Who helped us so much during the rampage of Buu, who taught me and trunks how to fight that monster. My loving, heroic, ridiculously cheerful, goofy; father, who left when I was barely thirteen to train that kid Uub. He had missed the first seven years of my life. I only had him for 5 and Uub has had him training him for nearly twice as long. More like my stupid… insensitive, deadbeat … abandoning, self-serving, infantile … FUCKING JACK ASS of a father!"_

My earlier contemplations about my failure to gain his praise and love, mixed with the boiling heat of my anger at my situation and the darkness what I am now fairly sure is some form of madness and gave a shattering revelation.

"I… I hate him." I shock myself with both my outburst of what was supposed to be mental speech, and the darkness of the nature of my true feelings.

Well there's my answer as to why I'm not guilty.

"_I'm not … I've been lying to myself, this mask, this fake persona, I … I started to believe it was the real me. Even as the real me died, I clung to it; as I withered I became so intent on maintaining the mask that I became one with it almost. A smiling shell supported by nothing real…. FUCK… FUCK them ALL! DAMN THEM!" _ I let my grip on my anger and powers slip and a gust of energy from my body extinguishes the fire like a breath to a match, plunging the cave into cold darkness. Now only the flashes of lightning from the storm periodically illuminate the shadows.

I feel like I've been kicked in the gut, that dream, all the darkness, it's all the hate and anger I've bottled up. For some reason I've come undone from that fake self. I'm back in my decayed and damaged real "body". And it hurts, Kai's it hurts.

Damn him, if …

"I_ only had him for five years! Five fucking short years, how is that fair? And it's not like he died or anything, no he's gone by choice! How could he be so selfish? How could he leave his own son behind to train some kid he doesn't even know! A kid mind you that's the reincarnation of the very monster that murdered me! And not just me, everybody on the planet was killed by that thing!" _ Sparks fly from my hand as I slam it against the cave floor, fracturing the rock.

"_If that … that bastard had stuck around… maybe… maybe I wouldn't be losing my MIND! I wouldn't have had to deal with all the crap I went through when he left. And he could have helped with whatever else is the fuck wrong with me! Or if he had been there from the start…"_

I feel a cold dark chill run through me. I stiffen.

"_If he had been there from the start."_

Another black shiver runs down my spine, followed by a flush of searing heat, the heat of purest rage.

"_And… Just why wasn't he there when I was born…?"_

"_Just who, in their display of supreme arrogance was responsible for me lacking a father? Sure my father's poor judgment had some part in his demise… __**BUT!**__ He had not been that complicit in his own death."_

"_**NO!**__ It was another who, practically aided Cell in my father's murder. Another who is just as guilty as Gero's monster."_

"_Someone, who to this day has not been made to pay for his crime. For the selfish arrogance and pride he showed that day, the day 8 months before I was born, when my life was destroyed before it even began!"_

"He, HE, HE! AH! AHAHA HA!" My laughter becomes maniacal as the last of my sanity drains away. Had I looked at this scene later I would have realized that my train of thought – rather than figuring out my dilemma so I could solve the impending crisis of my condition – Had in fact driven me right into the clutches of my madness.

At this point the last bit of me that was fighting this train of thought fell on the bandwagon so to speak. I Son Goten had been cheated out of my life through no fault of my own, by two men whom each in their own way had taken it from me. And in each their own way, they would pay. May the Gods help anyone who got in my way.

I Son Goten felt anger like nothing before flow through my blood. My veins fill with rage like pulsing magma, spun with darkness beyond the blackest of hearts. Energy crackled around me, my face twisted in to that same sadistic smile that had haunted my dreams of late. It contorted my face and then some, a sneer that would be the envy of Frieza himself.

"_He would pay, the one who was responsible for me growing up without a father, the one who ruined my life before it began…." _

"…_Gohan."_

_**December 18th Year 789 CA 2:15 PM – Kamina Point 50 mi for the Gechi Archipelago**_

Kamina point was a small cape that pointed out into the ocean. A popular area for beach goers, it was currently deserted due to the rain from a freak storm that had first erupted from the nearby Gechi Islands. Only a few people were out and about along the cost of either the cape or the inner beach, which was the site of a popular resort.

Suddenly to the surprise of stunned on lookers, a gigantic flash of orange light erupted from the islands far in the distance. This was herald of a huge yellow ball of fire, which soon consumed the outline of the isles, it was a massive explosion. The blast instantly parted the clouds, shattering the storm asunder; releasing the midday sun from its cloudy prison only to blot it out completely. From the flaming orb a single bolt of energy shot strait up from its center before changing direction above it and heading towards the mountains of Paozu, a sonic boom following in its wake.

**Well, looks like Goten, has pretty much lost it eh folks. I feel sorry for Gohan, stronger or not, he's going to have one hell of a fight on his hands if he isn't careful. Not to mention he has to avoid hurting his little brother as much as possible. Chi-Chi would likely kill him with her frying pan if he brought Goten back all beaten up.**

**Well this The Egg Emperor Signing off, Stay tuned for the last bit, **_Chapter 3: Cracked – Part 3: Fissure_


	6. Author's Notice (Story Hiatus)

**Major Update to Story Progress and Authors notes.**

Greetings, Friends and faithful readers of _The Eighth Brain and The Devil's Grin._

I know that this is not the story update that either of the fans of my two stories were hoping for, but please allow me to explain, both the reason for the lack of updates and what will happen going forward.

On the `9th of August my mother fell gravely ill with what eventually became a systemic bacterial infection. Also known as sepsis or blood poisoning, it is life threating. For the first few days we thought that were going to lose her. The infection had shut down her kidneys and was affecting all the other major organ systems, in particular her heart. A few days later she stabilized but it the doctors said she would need weeks to recover. My father who still teaches at a local college could not be there for her all the time; thus for most of August I remained at her bedside until I returned to college myself on the 20th. Thus in addition to my classes and applications to grad school I had to deal with constant worry and call's home to inquire of my mom's condition. I learned today September 9th that the doctors cleared her for release and that given time she will make a full recovery.

With her recovery now one less thing to worry about, I can finally get back to my stories. The issue is that my muse for _The Devil's Grin _has been completely quashed by recent events and As for _The Eighth Brain_ I still have yet to regain my confidence and muse for it as well. As such both stories are going into Hiatus or in the case of the latter stay in Hiatus until inspiration returns, which, given the capricious nature of my imagination shouldn't be too very long. **AGAIN the stories are not being abandoned; they will be continued at a later date.**

With the above in mind I am now in need of a story to work on and I have several ideas from which you can choose from. There is a poll with the individual stories for which you can vote on my profile. And individual outlines of each of them can be found at the base of my profile page above the actual story links. Whichever story reaches 10 votes first will be declared the winner (and if none reach ten then the one with the highest number will be declared the winner one Saturday the 7th).

You are free to vote for whichever one you choose, but I will say this, the Pokémon ones are much farther along in the ideas department than the other ones, meaning that not only will they likely have chapters out earlier, but there will be more chapters in succession in a timely manner than with the others. Note I will start on the winning story on Saturday at the latest, but if the vote closes earlier then I will start earlier, i.e. the first chapter could be out by Friday night if I get in the 10 votes Thursday.

I again thank you for your patience and understanding, none of this was intended or foreseen.

Sincerely,

Johannes The Egg Emperor.


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